How Secure Are Immobilizers

[mr3cho]

A lot of the new cars now-a-days have immobilizers (keys with unique rfid chips) installed from the factory including the new trucks from Ford and Mazda. From what I hear, trucks are the most stolen cars here in Thailand, esp the toyotas and isuzu due to the large market i suppose. This has me wondering about the security of my truck.

How secure are those factory immobilizers? I thought I've heard that the mercedes systems are pretty good. Yes, I know that anything can be stolen but what is the difficulty level with the immobilizers and should I really think about getting a mechanical lock, which seem to me to be easy to break. What are your thought?

Thanks.

[sezze]

Mechanical systems have always been easy to break . Electronic stuff used to be unreliable at 1st . After they went on to be reliable and difficult to bypass or unlock . At these times you noticed a big drop in car theft ( talking about European nr's , but i guess it is worldwide ) . The amount of car jackings went up from near 0 , as the systems wear virtually unbreakable , so you did need the key . However , now we are in stage 3 which is that the system itself is still as reliable , but other electronic equipment is on the market which can bypass the system pretty easy , for every brand of car .

I do not think this is answer to you but maybe figure out the facts and everything on the market .

The more easy it is , the more people might be in the market for stealing cars . The more difficult your car is , as supposed to your neighbour , the less chance you are hit with it ... the easiest wins ( or loses ... ) . Many many cars still not have immobilisers and not many people ( i think and hope ) have the electronic keys to bypass it . So looking at this we go to the following ranking of security .

1 , nothing ... no mechanical or elec system , pretty easy to steal . Most cars on the Thai market .

2 mechanical system . Easy to break for people who know how , but it is allready a lot safer then nothing .

3 immobilisers and or alarm systems .

4 system 2 and 3 together , as it is more work involved then either system on it's own .

5 ... something not spoken about and by far the safest on the market is a tracking device . A hidden GPS system send the exact location of your car , so in case it is stolen , it is pretty easy to recover ( but there is a pricetag ) .

nr 1 is to avoid , even the simplest of lock can make a thief look elsewhere .

[mr3cho]

Mechanical systems have always been easy to break . Electronic stuff used to be unreliable at 1st . After they went on to be reliable and difficult to bypass or unlock . At these times you noticed a big drop in car theft ( talking about European nr's , but i guess it is worldwide ) . The amount of car jackings went up from near 0 , as the systems wear virtually unbreakable , so you did need the key . However , now we are in stage 3 which is that the system itself is still as reliable , but other electronic equipment is on the market which can bypass the system pretty easy , for every brand of car .

I do not think this is answer to you but maybe figure out the facts and everything on the market .

The more easy it is , the more people might be in the market for stealing cars . The more difficult your car is , as supposed to your neighbour , the less chance you are hit with it ... the easiest wins ( or loses ... ) . Many many cars still not have immobilisers and not many people ( i think and hope ) have the electronic keys to bypass it . So looking at this we go to the following ranking of security .

1 , nothing ... no mechanical or elec system , pretty easy to steal . Most cars on the Thai market .

2 mechanical system . Easy to break for people who know how , but it is allready a lot safer then nothing .

3 immobilisers and or alarm systems .

4 system 2 and 3 together , as it is more work involved then either system on it's own .

5 ... something not spoken about and by far the safest on the market is a tracking device . A hidden GPS system send the exact location of your car , so in case it is stolen , it is pretty easy to recover ( but there is a pricetag ) .

nr 1 is to avoid , even the simplest of lock can make a thief look elsewhere .

nice response. thanks.

[Kwasaki]

If you have a OEM chipped key immobilizer system that was started by Mercs in the car/truck it would be unlikely it would be stolen unless you left the keys in it.

One of the trucks stolen the most are Vigo prerunners, especially with lots of chrome bling.

After market systems are easily overcome by a professional.

My wifes Yaris has an after market alarm but I took the precaution of putting a extra kill switch inside the car for use in places out of the way.

But if they really wan'it they will take it.